Chapter 509: Chapter 497: Tiresome, so tiresome

[Realm: Uhorus]

[Location: Verdantis]

[Embereach]

This was extremely tiresome.

Lyra stood atop the restored northern walls of Embereach with one hand lightly resting against her hip, long black hair swaying behind her in the freezing winds sweeping across Verdantis. Below the walls, layers upon layers of newly woven wards pulsed across the snow-covered ground and through the air, new magical formations buried into the landscape.

The breach was gone now.

The northern walls stood whole once more, smooth white stone restored seamlessly as though the destruction had never occurred at all. Even the lingering traces of Abyssal corruption had been forcibly erased, the snow beyond no longer stained by that foul black residue.

And yet Lyra still frowned, not out of fear or frustration, but annoyance. A very tired annoyance.

Not that an ancient, long-lived being like herself truly had the right to complain after all these millennia. She had witnessed many things rise and collapse, be it kingdoms or even just watching entire bloodlines disappear into history while she herself remained unchanged.

Still, Lyra liked to think the thought counted.

"The breach is sealed all around now," the Court Mage murmured quietly to herself, red eyes studying the restored northern perimeter carefully. "The wards have stabilized too... I must be getting sloppy if mere Abyssal Creatures managed to breach through at all."

The statement sounded casual, but there was genuine irritation beneath it. Her gaze slowly traveled beyond the walls and toward the distant white landscape of Verdantis.

The snowfall had eased somewhat, though the sky remained fractured by those enormous tears overhead.

And despite the restored walls, something about all of this still bothered her.

"This was quite an extreme Abyssal reaction," her red eyes narrowed slightly. "Far more extreme than it should have been."

The Court Mage folded her arms loosely beneath her chest.

Normally, the Abyss escalated gradually. Adaptation was part of its nature, yes, but the scale of the response here had accelerated unnaturally fast. Almost as though the Abyss itself had recognized something specific within Verdantis and responded with immediate hostility.

And unfortunately, that only further validated her theory.

"So I was right after all."

There was no satisfaction in the realization, only concern. Because if her assumptions truly were correct, then things were about to become far worse than most people realized.

"Court Mage Lyra?"

A voice called from behind her.

Lyra’s thoughts paused immediately.

The oppressive tension in her gaze faded slightly as she turned on her heel, dark dress shifting elegantly around her legs. Her red eyes settled upon the approaching pair almost instantly.

One blonde.

One wolf-eared.

Both distinctly recognizable.

"A Solkari..." Lyra mused softly. "And a spawn of the God of Knowledge." Her painted lips curved slightly upward. "To what do I owe such unique company?"

The two came to a stop a few paces away from her.

Victoria smiled first, it was polite but did not quite reach her eyes.

"Rather pleasing to be referred to as ’unique company’ by a renowned mage such as yourself," Victoria replied smoothly. "Though it seems you already possess a fairly accurate idea of who we are."

Lyra gave a soft hum.

"But of course I do." She tilted her head slightly. "You both participated in the Festival this year." Her gaze lingered briefly on Fiona. "And more importantly... you are friends of Mikoto."

The moment his name left her mouth, Fiona visibly reacted. It was a small shift in posture and a slight tightening around her eyes.

Then she stepped forward before she could seemingly stop herself.

"I know you two were acquainted," Fiona said carefully, though there was clear curiosity beneath her composed tone. "But did you know Mikoto well?"

Lyra blinked once, then smiled, a real smile with warmth that almost seemed nostalgic.

"Very well," Lyra answered without hesitation. Her black-painted lips curled upward further as a softer emotion entered her expression entirely. "He was such a cute little munchkin."

Fiona stared.

Victoria immediately looked like she was trying not to laugh.

Lyra, meanwhile, continued completely unbothered.

"Always trying so hard to pretend he didn’t care about people all that much," she mused fondly. "He’d act aloof, annoyed, distant and then help someone the moment he thought nobody was looking." A chuckle escaped her. "Even after the phase, he was still sweet underneath all that brooding."

Fiona blinked again, something about hearing another woman talk about Mikoto that casually—and that affectionately—caused her brows to furrow ever so slightly.

"You knew him quite well, huh..." the Solkari murmured. Her voice seemed controlled, a bit too controlled.

Victoria’s blue eyes slid sideways immediately.

And then the blonde girl smiled.

"Now is not the time to get jealous, Fiona dear," Victoria interjected pleasantly.

Fiona’s head snapped toward her so quickly it almost looked violent.

"I am not jealous," she replied immediately and firmly. Far too firmly.

Victoria remained completely unconvinced.

The spawn of the God of Knowledge lightly covered her mouth as though suppressing laughter.

"Mm, of course," Victoria nodded. "Not jealous at all."

Fiona narrowed her eyes.

"You enjoy nonsense like this too much."

"A little," Victoria admitted shamelessly.

Lyra, meanwhile, watched the exchange with visible amusement dancing in her red eyes.

"Oh?" the Court Mage hummed lightly. "So that’s how it is."

"It is not ’how it is,’" Fiona shot back immediately.

Victoria finally let out a soft laugh, normally she would have continued. Normally teasing Fiona over Mikoto would have been far too entertaining to stop now that she had started.

But the state of the world hanging over them made prolonged humor feel oddly fragile.

So eventually Victoria exhaled softly and waved a hand dismissively.

"Yes, yes," she relented. "No jealousy whatsoever."

Fiona looked deeply unconvinced by how little she was being believed.

Then Victoria’s expression shifted ever so slightly as her blue eyes returned fully toward Lyra.

"Putting that aside," Victoria said calmly, "there is actually something rather important we wished to discuss with you, Lady Lyra."

"I gathered this was not a social visit," the Court Mage hummed lightly, folding one arm beneath her chest while the fingers of the other tapped idly against her sleeve. Her crimson eyes moved between Victoria and Fiona. "Though if your goal is to discuss strengthening relations between Verdantis and Galadriel, then unfortunately the best I can truly do at the moment is direct you toward the Archbishop."

"Archbishop Percival, correct?" Victoria questioned smoothly. "From what I gathered, among Verdantis’ governing body, he possesses the greatest authority."

"You would be correct," Lyra replied with a small nod. "Though authority unfortunately comes paired with responsibilities." Her lips twitched faintly. "And at the moment, dear Percival is drowning in them."

The Court Mage sighed dramatically, though there was clear fondness hidden beneath the complaint.

"He is busy. Far busier than even myself." Her red eyes shifted briefly toward the fractured sky overhead. "And I have been very, very busy."

"You do not say," Fiona murmured dryly.

The Solkari crossed her arms loosely beneath her chest as her wolf ears twitched beneath their ornaments, eyes sweeping across the damaged outskirts beyond the walls.

"It seems that statement applies to almost everyone in Verdantis right now."

There was only observation in her voice.

The entire nation felt strained and exhausted, even the air carried tension.

Fiona exhaled quietly before continuing.

"And I imagine that only became worse after this Abyssal attack."

"No," Lyra answered casually.

The response came so quickly that Fiona immediately looked back toward her in confusion.

"No?" Fiona repeated.

Victoria, meanwhile, merely hummed softly in thought.

Interest alight behind her blue eyes almost immediately.

"We can expect some respite for now," the Court Mage elaborated calmly. "At least temporarily."

Fiona’s brows furrowed deeper.

Victoria tilted her head slightly.

"You say that because the majority of the Abyssal Tears above Verdantis strained themselves," Victoria deduced aloud. "Correct?"

Lyra smiled approvingly.

"As expected," she mused. "You catch on rather quickly."

Victoria gave a graceful shrug.

"The patterns were becoming noticeable."

"Yes," Lyra continued. "The Tears above Verdantis weakened considerably. And considering the Abyssal Creatures suddenly ceased their coordinated assault on the walls..." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "That means their ’leader’ was destroyed."

"Leader?" Fiona repeated immediately, one wolf ear twitching sharply. "So there really was something directing that swarm?"

The idea clearly unsettled her because the Abyssal Creatures were horrifying enough as mindless monsters. The thought of something actively commanding was much worse.

"Yes," Victoria answered before Lyra could. "Lucinda and I encountered something similar earlier in Galadriel."

That caught Lyra’s attention instantly.

Not visibly enough for most people to notice, but Victoria did.

The Court Mage’s eyes widened ever so slightly, only for a fraction of a second.

Then they narrowed thoughtfully.

"Interesting..." Lyra murmured under her breath.

Victoria caught the shift immediately.

The blonde girl’s gaze sharpened.

"Seems my theory proved true," Lyra continued quietly.

Fiona glanced between them both.

"You have some idea what causes those reactions?" Victoria asked directly now. There was genuine curiosity in her voice, though caution accompanied it as well. "I have my own assumptions, but another perspective would be useful."

Lyra was silent briefly.

Snow swept between the three as the Court Mage nodded.

"I might," she admitted, her tone grew quieter.

Lyra looked down in thought before continuing.

"Though at this point..." she paused slightly, "...I suppose it is less of a theory and more of a confirmation."

Fiona’s posture straightened subtly while Victoria’s expression lost most of its playfulness.

Both immediately recognized the shift in Lyra’s demeanor.

Lyra turned slightly as her red eyes moved toward the distant city behind them.

"Suppose you gather your little posse first," she said after a moment. "Then I can explain properly."

Her gaze turned back toward Victoria.

"And yes..." she added slowly, "...it involves the spawn of Octavia."

That caused immediate silence, Fiona’s eyes narrowed slightly as Victoria’s thoughtful expression sharpened considerably.

The two shared a glance.